Do you remember the moment you realized what you wanted to do professionally? Was it magic? Was it scary? We wanted to hear from some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community and so we asked them to tell us the story of the moment when they knew they were going to pursue a creative career path.

Kari Nissena

I’m fortunate in that I got the calling to be an actor at a young age. Read more>>

Anli Ding

Born and raised in an ancient land with a distinctive dialect and Buddhist-Taoist customs in southeastern China, I have grown up in awe of natural and supernatural forces, just like everyone else around me. Read more>>

Thomas Paden

I knew from a very young age that this would be my path. I started playing drums at the age of 2. I recorded my first live recording at age 9 so things got off to an early start. I always knew that music was going to be my life. Read more>>

Shi Min Yong

I knew I wanted to work in the creative field when I was in middle school. I loved to do cartoon sketches and would draw little comic strips of my friends during class. Arts and Design were the few classes that I was interested and exceled in. Read more>>

Kelly Lawler

I am 56 years old. I consider myself an emerging artist, and passionate about all things that help people connect, kindness, spirituality and community. I got a BFA in graphic design back in the late 80’s and I was a graphic designer for about ten minutes. I hated it.  Read more>>

Sonshyne Morton

Well I have been singing since I was 3 years old in the church choir. As my father is a pastor in Oxford NC. I was born missing fingers and toes from a condition called Streeters dyslexia. I have always loved to sing but never really wanted to be famous. Read more>>

Randy Globus

As a young child around age 5, I told my parents when I grow up I want to be an artist like Leonardo da Vinci. I don’t even know how I knew about Leonardo da Vinci but I always knew that I wanted to be an artist from a very young age. Read more>>

Teeyah. (Cynthia Z.) Nérette

My journey towards pursuing a creative path professionally began at a young age with a passion for dancing, which unfortunately was not supported by my parents. Despite this, I pursued a traditional academic path, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s in Marketing. Read more>>

COOPER PHILLIP

I was born into a family of classical musicians and literally heard music for the first time while still in my mom’s tummy. She was actively performing and rehearsing during her pregnancy. My first performance in front of an audience was magical. At just two years old, I played a child character in one of Tchaikovsky’s operas. Read more>>

Kira Taylor

There are many reasons why I decided to pursue a creative path professionally. A major influence on my love of music was the fact that I grew up listening to music of all types from a very young age. I was surrounded by the influence of different Theatrical movies playing in the background, such as HairSpray. Read more>>

Harrison Coll

When I was 13 years old, I had the privilege of performing as the “Young Nutcracker Prince” with the Los Angeles Ballet. Backstage, before my entrance for the “snow scene variation,” Adam Luders, a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, shared something with me that would forever change the trajectory of my life. Read more>>

Natalie Gath

As far back as I can remember, I knew I wanted to sing and tell stories forever. Of course as a small child that translated to playing make believe and singing along to every Disney movie and musical soundtrack I could get my hands on. Read more>>

Saritah

Girls were being strongly encouraged into scientific fields when I was in highschool, but that didn’t resonate with me at all. I completed a BA in English and Asian Studies and then studied photography, making my way towards a career in photojournalism. I even shot a few weddings! Read more>>

Eric Raeber

From a young age, I had a passion both for photography and electronics. I toyed with electronics in one corner of my parents’ basement, and had a darkroom in another. I eventually chose to pursue studies in engineering. Read more>>

Marcy Harris-Ortiz

Creativity was ingrained in my world, thanks to my father—an artist whose influence shaped my early years profoundly. Together, we explored art in its myriad forms, from learning to mix crayons to make the perfect skin tone in my Barbie coloring books to discovering the play of light and color in nature. Read more>>

Anthony Hopper

I knew that being a creative always been apart of me since birth. Although I’ve started playing sports first, deep down inside I had a desire to be a creator. Once I picked up the electric guitar my whole life changed before my eyes. Read more>>

Cici

I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the arts when I started throwing parties & managed other music artists. Read more>>

Kyllan Maney

I knew I wanted to be an artist at a pretty young age. I grew up in a difficult family situation, the only way I really felt at peace and happy was when I was creating art alone or with friends. Read more>>

Onzie b

Well, when I was 9 years old, I started taking piano lessons. I don’t exactly know why I wanted to play the piano, except for playing whatever I heard from the radio at the time. I would practice melody’s, trying to figure out the chord progressions by ear. Read more>>

Omer Lotan

My creative path started unfolding when I was probably around 15. I used to rent countless movies from Blockbuster, intrigued by the “behind the scenes” featurettes whenever they were available. I was eager to understand how they made that magic happen, both technically and then conceptually. Read more>>

Jeff Britton

As a young child, from as early as I can remember, I was instantly capitated by the idea and practice of making images. Art making through working in sketchbooks, with poster paints, crayons, and colored pencils opened a world of invention and the power of beauty. Read more>>

CHARLEAN CARMON

I started singing at the age of 12 when I joined my middle school’s choir. I think the choir director, Ms. Beverly , encouraged me to audition for a solo, so I did. I auditioned to sing the solo on Oh Holy Night for the Christmas concert. Read more>>

Andrea Brodine

I’ve known since I was a young child that I was born an artist, destined to accomplish great things and influence the world in a positive way at the highest level possible. My dreams of this began at the age of 6, if not younger. Read more>>

Wolf Bradley

My parents opened a ballet school the year I was born. I’ve never known a world with out creativity and performance. I loved being on stage from the first moment I ever was…which was when I was three years old. I danced for the majority of my life, but that was never a passion of mine. Read more>>

Tamina Muhammad

In high school I always knew I would do something related to art. I had so many artistic passions that it was hard to zero in. I felt I got the most joy out of sharing my art and instructing and motivating others in their art form . Read more>>